A 12-YEAR-OLD boy from Blandford have continued his fundraising venture for his local dog shelter by hosting another sponsored walk attended by other dog lovers.

Max Painter and his pet sidekick Stanley have accumulated over 17,000 followers on their Instagram page after he was given a miniature dachshund to help cope with his autism.

Having raised over £1,000 from two walks held in 2020, Max was accompanied by members of the Dachshunds of Dorset Facebook group as he raised another £1,500 for Stour Valley Dog Rescue, donated by his social media followers.

Max’s mum Vicky said: “The walk was the best yet. We have kept the same place each time at Badbury Rings, so Max is familiar with the routine.

“So being the third he was so confident unlike the first one where he was super nervous, so it’s done wonders for his confidence.

“He was shocked and overwhelmed by all the dachshunds that actually turned up.”

The recent fundraiser means that Max and Stanley have helped to raise £2,500 for the Stour Valley Dog Rescue in Blandford Forum

Bournemouth Echo: Max Painter, 12 from Blandford, and his pet Dachshund Stanley hosted another charity dog walk accompanied by another 20 dogs and raised £1,500 for Stour Valley Dog Rescue

Around 20 dachshunds and their owners attended the walk, including Stanley’s little sister Mabel and a couple of dogs who have been rescued and rehomed by the dog rescue centre.

After the walk, Max was presented a trophy Stour Valley Dog Rescue for his fundraising efforts.

Vicky added: “Max struggles socially so dogs are his world because they love him unconditionally hence the strong relationship he has with Stanley. Stanley is his best friend.

“Max said, after receiving the trophy, that it was one of the best days of his life. The dogs loved all the other sausages, and everyone was super friendly and really supportive.

“It’s a really huge sense of achievement raising £2500 for a dog rescue centre, and it means Max can help save more dogs for them. They are really thankful to him so overall just a brilliant boost for him when he struggles so much with daily life.”